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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 116 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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. spring — of water
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. spring — the season
  9. drill — army training
  10. rash — a series
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. spring — a coil
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bay — a horse colour

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