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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — a tool
  3. capital — a city
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. capital — money
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. kick — in football
  16. vault — a safe
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. object — an aim
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. plane — an aircraft

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