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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. dip — to sink
  4. file — a document
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. game — wild animals
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — to protest
  11. swing — in golf
  12. spring — a coil
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — music
  15. file — a tool
  16. spring — of water
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. file — a line of people
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. swing — to play on
  21. spring — the season
  22. game — a match
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. vault — a safe

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