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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 120 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: foot · drill · trunk · vault · current · tear · bass · bore

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bass — low music
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bore — to tire
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. current — of water
  8. tear — to rip
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. current — electric
  11. bass — the fish
  12. drill — army training
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. tear — from crying
  17. drill — a practice
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bore — to drill
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. drill — the tool
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. current — happening now

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