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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. charge — in control
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. charge — a price
  6. rock — music
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rock — a stone
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. kid — child
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. charge — electricity
  21. race — humankind
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. vault — a safe
  24. kid — to tease

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