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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bark — to shout
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wound — an injury
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. vault — a safe
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. deal — an agreement
  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