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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: deal · calf · wake · band · bay · roll · vault · foot

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. band — a music group
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wake — a trail
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — a cake
  12. band — a ring
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. vault — a safe
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. foot — a measure
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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