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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mine — for digging
  17. vault — a safe
  18. branch — a division
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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