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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: pop · row · rock · vault · coach · cell · arm · calf

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pop — soda
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. row — a line
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. row — to paddle
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rock — music
  13. pop — music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pop — to visit

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