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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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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: key · calf · drill · pit · vault · roll · present · content

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. roll — a list
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. present — the time now
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — a practice
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. key — in music
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. key — the most important part
  22. vault — a safe
  23. roll — a cake
  24. key — for a lock

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