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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: sharp · wave · charge · pitcher · calf · stand · vault · bore

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. charge — a price
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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