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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 · ball · pitcher · stand · lie · mug · prune · trunk

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — to recline
  10. vault — a safe
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. prune — to trim
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mug — a cup
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lie — an untruth

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