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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. object — an aim
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. object — to protest
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. suit — in cards
  10. march — the month
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. march — music
  14. land — a country
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. object — a thing
  17. land — ground
  18. march — the month
  19. vault — a safe
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. perch — the fish
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — to come down

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