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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: vault · craft · band · present · trunk · pit · hide · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. band — a music group
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. present — the time now
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. band — a ring
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. present — a gift
  15. craft — a skill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pit — a hole
  18. vault — a safe
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. present — there
  22. craft — boats
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pit — in a race

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