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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. root — the cause
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. hand — help
  23. root — of a word
  24. hand — in cards

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