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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. court — for sport
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. march — music
  7. branch — a division
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. march — the month
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. march — the month
  13. court — of law
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. court — of a king
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. trunk — of a tree

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