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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: tear · rush · foot · vault · trunk · pitcher · stand · wave

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. rush — hurry
  20. vault — a safe
  21. tear — from crying
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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