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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ball — a great time
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. vault — a safe
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. capital — money
  14. ball — a dance
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pit — in a race
  17. capital — a city
  18. branch — a division
  19. pit — a hole
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. calf — a young animal

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