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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bound — tied together
  4. rest — a break
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bound — obliged
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cue — for pool
  20. snap — to click
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bound — certain
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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