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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ball — a great time
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. root — the cause
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. branch — a division
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. root — of a word
  15. vault — a safe
  16. chest — of your body
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chest — a box
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chest — of your body
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. rest — a break
  24. calf — a young animal

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