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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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Word bank
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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: fan · vault · jam · temple · nail · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. nail — for a hammer

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