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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 120 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 · game · rush · net · mate · vault · wax · board

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mate — a partner
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. game — a match
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. net — in sport
  16. rush — hurry
  17. board — a committee
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — a friend
  21. vault — a safe
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rush — to hurry

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