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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. field — for sport
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. vault — a safe
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wind — moving air
  9. net — for catching
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. charge — a price
  12. net — after costs
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. field — farmland
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. field — a subject
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. net — in sport
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. charge — in control

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