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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: vault · suit · mouse · rock · cabinet · trunk · straw · perch

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. suit — clothes
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rock — a stone
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. straw — a straw man

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