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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.

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: rock · cell · pitcher · lean · calf · sharp · arm · vault

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lean — thin
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cell — in biology
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rock — music
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lean — to bend
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. calf — a young animal
  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