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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. craft — boats
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mark — a grade
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mark — to pay attention

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