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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rush — hurry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fall — to drop
  8. field — farmland
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. field — for sport
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. field — a subject
  13. lean — to bend
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lean — thin
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fall — the season
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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