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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · saw · bass · wound · bore · object · vault · trunk

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bore — to drill
  3. object — an aim
  4. bass — low music
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. saw — the tool
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bass — the fish
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. object — to protest
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bore — to tire
  22. object — a thing
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bass — the instrument

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