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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rest — what's left
  4. present — there
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. present — the time now
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. scale — in music
  18. board — to get on
  19. vault — a safe
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — a committee
  24. nail — on a finger

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