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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
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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: calf · mug · vault · wave · row · rush · bat · stand

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mug — to rob
  3. row — a line
  4. stand — to bear
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mug — a face
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. row — to paddle
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rush — hurry
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bat — in an idiom

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