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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. suit — in cards
  6. object — an aim
  7. suit — to fit
  8. shower — to wash
  9. suit — clothes
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. object — to protest
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. shower — rain
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. ball — a dance
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. object — a thing
  21. field — farmland
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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