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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: season · mate · date · trunk · vault · hide · mug · pop

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pop — soda
  7. mug — a cup
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pop — music
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. date — the fruit
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mug — a face
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pop — to visit
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mate — to breed
  20. season — of the year
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. vault — a safe
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. season — in sport

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