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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rest — what's left
  6. court — for sport
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — thin
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lean — to bend
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rock — a stone
  18. court — of law
  19. rest — a break
  20. bat — the animal
  21. rock — music
  22. court — of a king
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. patient — a sick person

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