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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 116 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: vault · pit · trunk · deal · spell · mine · tear · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pit — in a race
  6. deal — to handle
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. spell — magic
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pit — a hole
  18. spell — a short time
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mine — for digging
  21. tear — from crying
  22. spell — letters
  23. tear — from crying
  24. trunk — of a tree

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