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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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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: bass · trunk · tube · vault · perch · calf · nail · safe

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. tube — the underground
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bass — low music
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. vault — a safe
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. tube — a container
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. calf — a young animal

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