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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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Word bank
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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: vault · perch · kick · calf · bay · race

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. race — humankind
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. race — the arms race
  7. perch — the fish
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. race — a contest
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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