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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. last — final
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. suit — to fit
  6. last — finally
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wound — an injury
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wound — an injury
  11. date — the fruit
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ball — a dance
  17. last — to go on
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rock — music
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a great time

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