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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. mark — a trace
  12. club — for golf
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fan — to cool the air

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