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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. row — a line
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. field — for sport
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. field — a subject
  19. scale — size or range
  20. field — farmland
  21. stock — shares
  22. scale — in music
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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