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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: object · pit · deal · clip · land · mouse · vault · calf

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. object — a thing
  3. land — ground
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. object — an aim
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. clip — a video
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. object — to protest
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. clip — to cut
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. land — a country
  19. clip — for paper
  20. deal — to handle
  21. land — to come down
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pit — in a race
  24. calf — a young animal

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