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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rash — hasty
  5. staff — employees
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. vault — a safe
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. perch — the fish
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rash — a series
  15. staff — employees
  16. bass — low music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rush — hurry
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rash — on the skin

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