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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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. swing — to play on
  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