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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: fall · board · root · race · trunk · hide · vault · chair

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fall — the season
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. race — the arms race
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. fall — to drop
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. race — humankind
  13. chair — a leader
  14. fall — to drop
  15. vault — a safe
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. root — of a word
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. root — of a plant
  20. race — a contest
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. root — the cause

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