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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 116 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: mine · lean · chair · bowl · club · lie · calf · vault

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. club — for dancing
  10. lie — to recline
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. chair — a leader
  17. vault — a safe
  18. club — a group
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bowl — a dish
  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