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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: date · vault · trunk · mouse · bore · wind · cue · stand

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wind — moving air
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cue — a signal
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cue — a hint
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bore — to tire
  24. date — on the calendar

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