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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: trunk · hand · lean · prune · dip · mouse · lie · vault

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. hand — help
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lie — to recline
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lean — thin
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. hand — in cards
  24. lie — an untruth

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