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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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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: ball · calf · pit · vault · temple · craft · deal · patient

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. craft — boats
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — to handle
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a dance
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pit — a hole
  19. vault — a safe
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pit — in a race
  23. deal — an agreement
  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