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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
468
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: last · tube · shower · squash · vault · bay · trunk · current

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. current — of water
  6. shower — rain
  7. last — finally
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. last — to go on
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. current — electric
  17. shower — to wash
  18. current — happening now
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. squash — the sport
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. last — final
  23. squash — to crush
  24. vault — a safe

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