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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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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: bay · pit · squash · vault · trunk · fine · mark · present

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mark — a trace
  5. squash — the sport
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. vault — a safe
  9. squash — to crush
  10. present — there
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mark — a grade
  13. present — a gift
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a hole
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. present — the time now
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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