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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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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: track · dip · vault · mouse · game · degree · calf · stick

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. degree — from a university
  5. vault — a safe
  6. track — a song
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. track — a path
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. track — to keep track
  22. degree — temperature
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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