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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: perch · craft · vault · trunk · root · pitcher · ball · pit

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. craft — boats
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. root — the cause
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. perch — the fish
  16. root — of a word
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. vault — a safe
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a dance
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. root — of a plant

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