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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. firm — steady
  3. squash — to crush
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pass — a permit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. squash — the sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. vault — a safe
  19. firm — decided
  20. saw — the tool
  21. firm — a company
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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