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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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cell — in biology
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. vault — a safe
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. snap — to click
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mug — a face
  14. lie — to recline
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mug — a cup
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mug — to rob
  24. lie — an untruth

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