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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chest — a box
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cap — of ice
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chest — of your body
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cap — a hat
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cue — a hint
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cue — a signal

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