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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rule — a law
  8. club — for dancing
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. vault — a safe
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. club — for golf
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. board — to get on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rule — government
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. club — a group

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