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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. club — a group
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. net — for catching
  6. staff — a stick
  7. net — after costs
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. club — for golf
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. staff — employees
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. fine — all right
  19. staff — employees
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — in sport
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fine — high quality
  24. lie — to recline

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