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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fine — high quality
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. march — the month
  13. fine — all right
  14. march — the month
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. march — music
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. current — electric

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