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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. spring — a coil
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. key — in music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. vault — a safe
  12. spring — the season
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. craft — boats
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lean — to bend
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. spring — of water
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lean — to rest against

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