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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: vault · cell · fall · kick · dip · squash · stock · calf

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cell — a phone
  6. kick — in football
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. squash — to crush
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. stock — shares
  14. fall — the season
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. dip — to sink
  18. vault — a safe
  19. cell — in biology
  20. stock — goods
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. squash — the sport

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