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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. track — a song
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — clever
  10. tube — a container
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. vault — a safe
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. lean — to bend
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. calf — of the leg

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