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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. present — a gift
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. track — a song
  6. court — of law
  7. cap — of ice
  8. track — a path
  9. present — there
  10. charge — electricity
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. court — for sport
  13. present — the time now
  14. charge — a price
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fork — in a road
  21. charge — in control
  22. cap — a hat
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. court — of a king

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