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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chest — a box
  4. pop — music
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pop — to visit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pop — soda
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. chest — of your body
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bore — to tire
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. fall — the season
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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