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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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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 · stand · chair · dip · toast · vault · row · kick

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. dip — to dunk
  2. chair — a leader
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. dip — to sink
  8. row — a line
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. row — to paddle
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — bread
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kick — in football
  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