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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: pitcher · date · kick · bear · row · calf · vault · mug

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. row — a line
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. date — the fruit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bear — the animal
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. mug — to rob
  20. vault — a safe
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mug — a face
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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