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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
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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: lash · cap · rush · bound · date · racket · vault · trunk

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bound — obliged
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. date — the fruit
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — certain
  17. cap — a lid
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. trunk — of a car

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