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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. clip — a video
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cue — for pool
  6. clip — to cut
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. clip — for paper
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. season — of the year
  20. mark — a trace
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. season — in sport

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