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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: bear · pit · race · vault · band · calf

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. race — the arms race
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. race — humankind
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. race — a contest
  12. band — a ring
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal

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