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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bank — for money
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wax — to grow
  15. date — the fruit
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. saw — the tool
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. arm — part of the body
  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