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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: vault · club · leaves · track · mug · calf · snap · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. track — a path
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. vault — a safe
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mug — a face
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. club — for dancing
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mug — to rob
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. snap — to click
  24. track — a song

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