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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: snap · calf · vault · cue · bore · court · stick · dip

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bore — to drill
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bore — to tire
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. court — of a king
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cue — a signal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. court — of law
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cue — a hint
  20. court — for sport
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cue — for pool
  23. snap — to click
  24. dip — to sink

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