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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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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: mate · degree · firm · calf · bay · bound · vault · charge

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. charge — in control
  3. firm — decided
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mate — a partner
  7. charge — a price
  8. bound — certain
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. firm — steady
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. firm — a company
  21. degree — temperature
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. degree — from a university

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