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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bear · bay · pitcher · mark · can · key · vault

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bear — the animal
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. vault — a safe
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. can — to be able to
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — in music
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mark — a trace
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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