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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. vault — a safe
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pound — a weight
  7. staff — employees
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. staff — employees
  13. pop — soda
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pop — to visit
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. present — the time now
  22. wake — a trail
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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