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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. season — of the year
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. game — wild animals
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. object — an aim
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. object — a thing
  11. game — a match
  12. season — in sport
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mug — a face
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. vault — a safe
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. ball — a great time
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. mug — to rob
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. object — to protest
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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