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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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468
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: root · face · mug · vault · mate · pop · bark · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. face — to confront
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. face — to point toward
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mate — a friend
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pop — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. mate — to breed
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  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