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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mate — a friend
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. kid — to tease
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. kid — child
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. prune — to trim

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