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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 120 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: trunk · saw · vault · rash · clip · firm · wake · board

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rash — hasty
  4. wake — a trail
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. clip — a video
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. board — to get on
  9. clip — to cut
  10. board — a committee
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. firm — decided
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. firm — steady
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. firm — a company
  21. clip — for paper
  22. rash — a series
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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