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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. track — a song
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. shower — to wash
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. track — a path
  10. wake — a trail
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. shower — rain
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rock — a stone
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. key — in music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rock — music

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