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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: trunk · vault · bark · cap · key · swing · lash · board

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cap — a lid
  3. swing — to play on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. swing — music
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. board — to get on
  9. cap — of ice
  10. key — in music
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cap — a hat
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. key — the most important part
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. swing — in golf
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. board — a committee
  24. key — for a lock

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