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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. field — farmland
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cue — a signal
  7. current — of water
  8. sharp — clever
  9. field — a subject
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cue — for pool
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. current — electric
  16. staff — employees
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. staff — employees
  19. field — for sport
  20. cue — a hint
  21. current — happening now
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. staff — a stick

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