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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ball — a great time
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mug — a face
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lean — thin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mug — a cup
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wind — moving air
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wake — a trail
  24. lean — to bend

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