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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bat — the animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. suit — in cards
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. firm — a company
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — help
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. race — a contest
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. race — humankind
  23. firm — steady
  24. vault — a safe

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