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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. club — for dancing
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. vault — a safe
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. club — for golf
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. court — of a king
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. club — a group
  20. mug — a cup
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. dip — to sink
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. dip — a sauce

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