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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: sharp · game · hand · kick · deal · vault · trunk · bay

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. game — a match
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. hand — help
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. sharp — clever
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. vault — a safe
  15. deal — to handle
  16. hand — in cards
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. kick — a thrill

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