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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. net — for catching
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. net — after costs
  9. pass — a permit
  10. craft — boats
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pound — a weight
  16. swing — music
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. cell — a phone
  19. craft — a skill
  20. swing — in golf
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. net — in sport
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pound — to hit hard

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