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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. cell — in biology
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pitch — completely
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fork — in a road
  13. last — finally
  14. last — to go on
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. last — final
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cell — a phone
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. arm — a part of something

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