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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. club — for golf
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wake — a trail
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. club — a group
  23. vault — a safe
  24. club — for dancing

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