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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: temple · stick · trunk · staff · vault · race

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. race — humankind
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. vault — a safe
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. staff — employees
  14. race — a contest
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. race — the arms race
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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