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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 · mouse · ball · ground · dip · perch · key

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. key — the most important part
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. key — in music
  12. ground — a position
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. ground — crushed
  15. dip — to sink
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ball — a great time
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. key — for a lock
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ground — the earth

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