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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: wake · drill · vault · craft · branch · calf · bay · swing

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wake — a trail
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. craft — boats
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. drill — a practice
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. craft — a skill
  13. branch — a division
  14. drill — army training
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. swing — in golf

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