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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fine — high quality
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. fork — in a road
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wake — a trail
  19. vault — a safe
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. calf — of the leg

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