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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · mouse · calf · ball · fan · fine · vault · bark

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fine — high quality
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. root — of a word
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. root — the cause
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fine — all right
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ball — a dance
  24. calf — of the leg

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