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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. can — a tin
  5. capital — money
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. capital — a city
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. suit — to fit
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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