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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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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: lie · vault · net · calf · bear · fork · current · wind

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. net — for catching
  14. lie — to recline
  15. current — happening now
  16. net — in sport
  17. current — of water
  18. vault — a safe
  19. net — after costs
  20. current — electric
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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