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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pound — a weight
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ball — a great time
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stock — shares
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. kick — in football
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stock — goods
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pound — for dogs

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