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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: vault · bowl · key · cue · trunk · lash · track · can

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cue — a signal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. track — a path
  10. vault — a safe
  11. track — a song
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. key — in music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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