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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 116 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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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: lash · rush · track · season · trunk · face · vault · safe

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. face — part of the head
  4. track — a song
  5. rush — hurry
  6. face — to point toward
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. track — to keep track
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. face — to confront
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. season — in sport
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. season — of the year
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. track — a path
  24. rush — 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