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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: trunk · lean · kid · fine · charge · bay · vault · fan

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lean — to bend
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. kid — child
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. fine — all right
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. charge — in control
  16. kid — to tease
  17. lean — thin
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. charge — a price
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — a penalty

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