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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: band · vault · trunk · stand · calf · cabinet · jam · lie

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. band — a music group
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. calf — a young animal

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