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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rest — what's left
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — a break
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a great time
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bear — the animal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bass — the fish

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