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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wax — to grow
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rock — music
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mine — for digging
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. vault — a safe

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