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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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pop — soda
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rest — a break
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. tube — a container
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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