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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. foot — a measure
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. content — the amount
  7. drill — a practice
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. key — in music
  16. wound — an injury
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. vault — a safe
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. drill — army training
  22. key — for a lock
  23. content — happy
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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