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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.

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 · temple · calf · present · bulb · rush · wake · vault

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bulb — for light
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — there
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — hurry
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. vault — a safe

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