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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: snap · vault · cabinet · calf · wake · ball · sharp · drill

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ball — a great time
  13. drill — army training
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. vault — a safe
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. ball — a dance
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. drill — the tool
  24. wake — before a funeral

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