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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. spring — of water
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ball — a dance
  12. spring — a coil
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. spring — the season
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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