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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — in golf
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. suit — clothes
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. key — the most important part
  12. vault — a safe
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bat — the animal
  15. swing — music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. key — in music
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. branch — a division

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