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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: sharp · vault · key · calf · spring · jam · firm · wound

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. spring — of water
  4. firm — decided
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wound — an injury
  10. vault — a safe
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wound — an injury
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — a company
  17. spring — the season
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. sharp — clever

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