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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mark — a grade
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bank — for money
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bore — to drill
  11. root — of a word
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bore — to tire
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. root — the cause
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mine — for digging
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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