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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mark — a grade
  7. squash — to crush
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. band — a music group
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. band — a ring
  15. vault — a safe
  16. foot — a measure
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. band — a rubber band

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