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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 124 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. key — the most important part
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. vault — a safe
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. drill — a practice
  9. kid — to tease
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. kid — child
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. key — for a lock
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. craft — boats
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — in music
  24. lash — to lash out

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