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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cell — in biology
  5. staff — employees
  6. mug — a cup
  7. cell — a phone
  8. mug — to rob
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. vault — a safe
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. staff — a stick
  19. charge — in control
  20. mug — a face
  21. staff — employees
  22. charge — a price
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. charge — electricity

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