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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: branch · firm · calf · vault · clip · row · ball · squash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. firm — steady
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. squash — to crush
  8. branch — a division
  9. squash — the sport
  10. firm — decided
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — to cut
  13. ball — a dance
  14. firm — a company
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. clip — for paper
  17. row — a line
  18. vault — a safe
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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