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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · vault · staff · current · calf · rash

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rash — a series
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — of water
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. vault — a safe
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wound — an injury
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. current — electric
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. current — happening now
  18. 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