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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. saw — the tool
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. roll — a cake
  6. mark — a grade
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. roll — a list
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mark — a trace
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of a car

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