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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: calf · kick · bass · vault · foot · ruler

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. foot — a measure
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. calf — a young 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