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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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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: stick · rush · bank · calf · vault · scale · lie · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — to recline
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bank — for money
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — in music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bank — of a river
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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