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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · vault · wound · present · hand · rush · pit · trunk

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. present — the time now
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pit — a hole
  8. present — a gift
  9. rush — hurry
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. present — there
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. hand — in cards
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. hand — help

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