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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rock — a stone
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — of water
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — of a river
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bank — for money
  11. spring — the season
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — music
  16. tear — from crying
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pop — to visit
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pop — soda
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. tear — to rip
  23. pop — music
  24. vault — a safe

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