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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. can — a tin
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. lean — thin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rush — hurry
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lean — to bend
  13. craft — boats
  14. pound — a weight
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. snap — to click
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. calf — of the leg

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