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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. game — a match
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. game — wild animals
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. rash — a series
  18. rule — government
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. chair — a leader
  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