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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. current — electric
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. current — happening now
  8. drill — the tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mark — a trace
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mark — a grade
  23. current — of water
  24. arm — part of the body

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