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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. content — the amount
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. drill — army training
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. drill — a practice
  10. firm — steady
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. current — of water
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. vault — a safe
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. current — happening now
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. current — electric
  24. drill — the tool

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