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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · wave · shower · vault · season · key · bat · craft

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. craft — a skill
  7. key — in music
  8. vault — a safe
  9. key — the most important part
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bat — the animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — rain
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. craft — boats
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. season — of the year
  24. bat — for baseball

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