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

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. land — a country
  4. mate — to breed
  5. land — to come down
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. mate — a friend
  9. key — for a lock
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. land — ground
  14. court — for sport
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. court — of law
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. court — of a king

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