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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. game — a match
  6. snap — to click
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cap — a hat
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. charge — in control
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — wild animals
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cabinet — ministers

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