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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: pit · vault · trunk · degree · bank · board · bore · prune

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. pit — a hole
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — in a race
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bore — to tire
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bank — for money
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. bank — of a river
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bore — to drill
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bank — for money
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. prune — the fruit

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