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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 116 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. object — to protest
  3. shower — rain
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. object — a thing
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bulb — for light
  11. vault — a safe
  12. branch — a division
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — for light
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. object — an aim
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. shower — to wash
  24. key — in music

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