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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: trunk · rest · tube · racket · vault · kick · bear · toast

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rest — a break
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. tube — the underground
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. tube — a container
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bear — the animal
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. kick — in football
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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