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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: trunk · vault · branch · patient · tube · ball · cap · pop

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — a division
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cap — a hat
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pop — soda
  12. ball — a dance
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pop — music
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pop — to visit
  18. cap — of ice
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cap — a lid
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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