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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. staff — a stick
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. key — in music
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. vault — a safe
  12. prune — to trim
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. staff — employees
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. key — for a lock
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pitch — completely

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