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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. branch — a division
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. vault — a safe
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. dip — to sink
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bear — the animal

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