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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fall — the season
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cue — a signal
  12. vault — a safe
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. tear — from crying
  15. season — of the year
  16. fall — to drop
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — to wash
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. shower — rain
  24. calf — a young 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