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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 120 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. vault — a safe
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bore — to tire
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. tube — a container
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. kick — in football
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chip — for betting
  24. kick — a thrill

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