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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 120 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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mate — a friend
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lean — thin
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. spring — a coil
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spring — the season
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mate — to breed
  17. key — the most important part
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spring — of water
  20. lean — to bend
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. swing — to play on
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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