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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: vault · cue · current · craft · object · wound · trunk · mark

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mark — a trace
  4. cue — for pool
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. object — to protest
  10. current — happening now
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. current — electric
  15. object — a thing
  16. cue — a hint
  17. current — of water
  18. object — an aim
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mark — a grade
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cue — a signal
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wound — an injury

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