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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: suit · vault · plane · row · lash · charge · wind · calf

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. row — a line
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — in cards
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. plane — a tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. suit — to fit
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. wind — moving air
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. row — to paddle
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — a price
  22. suit — clothes
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wind — to turn a key

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