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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. band — a ring
  8. bank — for money
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. stock — shares
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — a permit
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. band — a music group
  24. stock — goods

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