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

Word bank: pound · spring · trunk · vault · stick · dip · rest · drill

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. dip — to sink
  3. spring — the season
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rest — what's left
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. drill — army training
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. spring — a coil
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. vault — a safe
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rest — what's left
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rest — a break
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. spring — of water
  24. pound — a weight

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