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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. vault — a safe
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. rest — what's left
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. field — for sport
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. present — there
  12. field — a subject
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. object — an aim
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. field — farmland
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rest — what's left
  20. present — a gift
  21. rest — a break
  22. spring — of water
  23. present — the time now
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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