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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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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: vault · trunk · can · roll · dip · cell · leaves · lash

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. can — a tin
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cell — in biology
  13. roll — a cake
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cell — a phone
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. roll — a list
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. can — a tin
  24. dip — to dunk

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