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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: spell · chest · board · trunk · vault · rash · wave · craft

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. vault — a safe
  6. chest — of your body
  7. spell — magic
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. board — a committee
  11. rash — hasty
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. spell — a short time
  14. craft — boats
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chest — of your body
  18. board — to get on
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. spell — letters
  21. chest — a box
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rash — a series

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