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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. band — a music group
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. prune — to trim
  11. band — a ring
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chair — a leader
  20. vault — a safe
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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