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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bank — for money
  5. tube — a container
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bank — for money
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ground — crushed
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ground — a position
  24. vault — a safe

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