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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. drill — army training
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. wind — moving air
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. rest — a break
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rest — what's left
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. pass — a permit
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. rest — what's left
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. drill — a practice

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