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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 · bulb · season · calf · vault · mouse · track · rush

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. track — a song
  8. vault — a safe
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. object — an aim
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. track — a path
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. object — to protest
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. season — in sport
  23. track — to keep track
  24. season — of the year

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