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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — there
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bulb — for light
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. key — the most important part
  19. present — a gift
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. toast — bread
  24. nail — for a hammer

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