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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 120 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. vault — a safe
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fall — the season
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fall — to drop
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fall — to drop
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lean — thin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. lean — to rest against

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