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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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