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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. squash — to crush
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. plane — a tool
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. band — a ring
  15. lean — thin
  16. band — a music group
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fall — to drop
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. squash — the vegetable

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