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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.

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: ball · firm · lean · wind · fan · track · calf · vault

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. ball — a great time
  5. firm — decided
  6. vault — a safe
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wind — moving air
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. firm — a company
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ball — a dance
  19. wind — moving air
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. lean — thin

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