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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. vault — a safe
  7. face — to confront
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. face — to point toward
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. snap — to click
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. face — part of the head
  24. arm — part of the body

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