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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — a container
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cell — in biology
  9. last — finally
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. object — an aim
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cell — a phone
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. object — to protest
  19. tube — the underground
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. vault — a safe
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. object — a thing
  24. hide — to keep secret

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