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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. game — a match
  9. mark — a grade
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bass — low music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. vault — a safe
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mark — a trace
  24. dip — a sauce

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