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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chest — of your body
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. vault — a safe
  6. craft — boats
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chest — a box
  9. lean — to bend
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. craft — a skill
  13. drill — the tool
  14. chest — of your body
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. drill — a practice
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — thin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. drill — army training
  24. straw — dry grass

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