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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: leaves · present · prune · kick · vault · cell

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. vault — a safe
  13. prune — to trim
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. kick — in football
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. kick — a thrill

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