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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lean — thin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stock — shares
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. prune — to trim
  20. vault — a safe
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stock — goods

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