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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. can — a tin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wound — an injury
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lean — thin
  17. pop — soda
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. vault — a safe
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. pop — music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. lean — to bend

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