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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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Word bank
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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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. row — to paddle
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. row — a line
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mate — a friend
  9. wake — a trail
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. vault — a safe
  15. chest — a box
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pass — a permit
  21. chest — of your body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mate — a partner
  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