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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: cap · calf · wound · vault · land · season · trunk · mark

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mark — a trace
  3. vault — a safe
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wound — an injury
  9. cap — a lid
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wound — an injury
  14. season — of the year
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mark — a grade
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. land — a country
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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