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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. content — happy
  10. roll — a list
  11. content — the amount
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. roll — a cake
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. vault — a safe
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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