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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bore — to drill
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. vault — a safe
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bass — low music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bore — to tire
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pit — a fruit stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com