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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · bore · pit · wake · cabinet · vault · last · sharp

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. last — finally
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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