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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. scale — size or range
  3. can — to be able to
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. scale — in music
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bark — to shout
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bore — to drill
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bore — to tire

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