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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. capital — money
  3. perch — the fish
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. board — a committee
  6. capital — a city
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. board — to get on
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bulb — for light
  18. squash — the sport
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bulb — for light
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. calf — of the leg

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