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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. mate — a partner
  3. object — an aim
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. charge — in control
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. object — a thing
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mate — a friend
  15. object — to protest
  16. charge — a price
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. charge — electricity
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mate — to breed

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