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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. roll — a list
  5. march — the month
  6. roll — a cake
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rock — a stone
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. march — the month
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. march — music
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rock — music
  18. vault — a safe

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