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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stock — goods
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. snap — to click
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. vault — a safe
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. stock — shares
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. drill — army training
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bat — the 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