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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. vault — a safe
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pound — a weight
  9. ground — a position
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. ground — crushed
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. snap — to click
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mug — a face
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cell — a phone
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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