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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. court — of law
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pit — a hole
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. race — the arms race
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mug — to rob
  20. race — humankind
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mug — a face
  23. race — a contest
  24. fork — in a road

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