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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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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: mouse · board · vault · lean · trunk · foot · pound · pop

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. lean — to bend
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pop — soda
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. lean — thin
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pop — music
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pound — a weight
  24. trunk — of a tree

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