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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 120 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: mate · lash · saw · prune · wake · vault · calf · mark

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mate — a partner
  12. vault — a safe
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mark — a trace
  18. prune — to trim
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mark — a grade

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