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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 120 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: coach · prune · rest · bass · bowl · trunk · bay · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rest — a break
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bass — low music
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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