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

Word bank: snap · race · vault · calf · march · chip

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. march — the month
  4. chip — to eat
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. race — a contest
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. march — music
  12. snap — to click
  13. march — the month
  14. race — the arms race
  15. chip — for betting
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. race — humankind

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