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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: vault · tube · net · mate · calf · arm · saw · lean

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mate — to breed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. net — in sport
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lean — thin
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. vault — a safe
  10. net — after costs
  11. mate — a friend
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mate — a partner
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. net — for catching
  24. tube — in a tire

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