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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pound — a weight
  22. cap — a hat
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bear — the 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