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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: band · vault · chair · lean · rest · calf · fan · kick

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. band — a ring
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. vault — a safe
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kick — in football
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. band — a music group
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. chair — a leader

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