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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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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 · trunk · lie · chip · vault · object · last · firm

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. chip — for betting
  4. last — to go on
  5. firm — steady
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chip — to eat
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. object — to protest
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. vault — a safe
  16. object — a thing
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — decided
  20. last — final
  21. firm — a company
  22. lie — to recline
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. last — finally

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