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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · fan · ball · club · swing · wound · vault · mate

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. swing — in golf
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mate — a partner
  10. swing — to play on
  11. club — for golf
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. vault — a safe
  17. club — a group
  18. swing — music
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mate — a friend
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. club — for dancing
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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