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

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. court — of a king
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pit — a hole
  7. vault — a safe
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pit — in a race
  12. club — a group
  13. court — of law
  14. craft — a skill
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fine — high quality
  17. club — for dancing
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fine — all right
  22. club — for golf
  23. craft — boats
  24. court — for sport

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