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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: calf · bay · object · vault · arm · fork · bear · pitch

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pitch — completely
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. object — an aim
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. object — a thing
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. object — to protest
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. calf — a young animal

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