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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 · lash · kick · tear · row · charge · vault · leaves

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. row — a line
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. kick — in football
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. tear — from crying
  12. charge — electricity
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — to paddle
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tear — to rip
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — in control
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. charge — a price

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