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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.

Make a worksheet

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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — a coil
  4. vault — a safe
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. fine — all right
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. spring — the season
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fine — high quality
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. craft — boats
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. craft — a skill
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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