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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: arm · calf · branch · pit · lash · content · mate · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pit — a hole
  9. content — the amount
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mate — a partner
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pit — in a race
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. content — happy
  20. mate — to breed
  21. branch — a division
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. lash — to lash out

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