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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: band · vault · trunk · race · stick · object

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. race — the arms race
  5. band — a ring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. race — humankind
  10. band — a music group
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. object — a thing
  13. race — a contest
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. vault — a safe
  18. band — a rubber band

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