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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: tube · cabinet · court · trunk · stand · date · arm · vault

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — to bear
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. date — the fruit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. tube — a container
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. court — of a king
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. court — of law

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