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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: bulb · bat · band · key · trunk · vault · stick · calf

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. vault — a safe
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. band — a music group
  6. key — the most important part
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — for a lock
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. band — a ring
  13. key — in music
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bulb — for light
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. band — a rubber band

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