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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. scale — size or range
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. snap — to click
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bore — to tire
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bore — to drill
  17. scale — in music
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. cue — for pool
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. straw — a straw man

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