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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pop — soda
  3. current — of water
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pop — to visit
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. staff — employees
  13. shower — rain
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pop — music
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. perch — the fish
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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