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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pit — in a race
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bound — obliged
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. squash — to crush
  13. press — a publisher
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — certain
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. press — newspapers
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. drill — army training
  21. wax — to grow
  22. press — to push
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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