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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: vault · suit · cap · shower · drill · trunk · bulb · pound

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. drill — army training
  9. pound — a weight
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. vault — a safe
  19. shower — rain
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cap — of ice
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bulb — for light

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