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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. firm — steady
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. plane — a tool
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. firm — decided
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. firm — a company
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. vault — a safe
  23. shower — to wash
  24. present — a gift

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