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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 120 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: kid · vault · tear · rest · staff · content · suit · calf

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. tear — from crying
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. content — the amount
  7. suit — clothes
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. staff — a stick
  10. kid — child
  11. tear — to rip
  12. kid — to tease
  13. tear — from crying
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rest — a break
  17. suit — in cards
  18. vault — a safe
  19. suit — to fit
  20. content — happy
  21. staff — employees
  22. rest — what's left
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rest — what's left

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