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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. present — there
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pop — soda
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. present — a gift
  7. band — a music group
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. shower — rain
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. present — the time now
  16. pop — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pop — to visit
  21. dip — to sink
  22. shower — to wash
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. dip — a sauce

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