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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: bat · pound · file · cap · vault · bay · calf · current

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. cap — a lid
  8. file — a document
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bat — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. current — electric
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. file — a tool
  24. vault — a safe

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