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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. band — a ring
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. game — a match
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. game — wild animals
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. band — a music group
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ruler — for measuring

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