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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. object — an aim
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. last — final
  5. cap — a lid
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cap — of ice
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pop — music
  13. object — a thing
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cap — a hat
  17. last — to go on
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. object — to protest
  20. last — finally
  21. pop — soda
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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