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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: band · kick · mate · calf · perch · bear · vault · tear

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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. band — a rubber band
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bear — the animal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mate — a partner
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mate — a friend
  13. kick — in football
  14. tear — to rip
  15. perch — the fish
  16. tear — from crying
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. vault — a safe
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. band — a music group
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. band — a ring
  24. calf — a young animal

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