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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rash — a series
  9. last — final
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. last — finally
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. race — humankind
  19. lie — to recline
  20. last — to go on
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — the arms race
  24. suit — to fit

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