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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mine — for digging
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mate — a partner
  10. tube — the underground
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. object — a thing
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. foot — a measure
  21. tube — a container
  22. object — to protest
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mate — to breed

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