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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: racket · calf · file · mouse · perch · vault · lie · row

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. file — a document
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. row — a line
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lie — to recline

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