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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wound — an injury
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mark — a grade
  8. game — a match
  9. net — for catching
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. net — in sport
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. net — after costs
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mark — a trace
  24. arm — a part of something

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