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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. band — a ring
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pass — a permit
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. firm — decided
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. date — the fruit
  18. firm — a company
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. firm — steady
  24. band — a music group

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