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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.

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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: vault · rock · lash · rest · racket · calf · craft · pop

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rock — a stone
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. craft — boats
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rock — music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pop — to visit
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pop — soda
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pop — music
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lash — an eyelash

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