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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. scale — in music
  7. bore — to tire
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. branch — a division
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — hurry
  23. scale — size or range
  24. vault — a safe

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