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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. net — in sport
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. wound — an injury
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. net — after costs
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — a measure
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wound — an injury
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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