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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. last — to go on
  8. ball — a great time
  9. last — final
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. last — finally
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. band — a music group
  17. rush — hurry
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. band — a ring
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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