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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · temple · chip · lean · calf · vault · pitcher · row

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. vault — a safe
  3. chip — to eat
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. can — a tin
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. chip — for betting
  8. can — to be able to
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. row — a line
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — to paddle
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. lean — to bend
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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