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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. suit — clothes
  3. swing — in golf
  4. hand — help
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. degree — an amount
  7. swing — music
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. cell — a phone
  10. hand — in cards
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. tube — a container
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. degree — from a university
  21. vault — a safe
  22. degree — temperature
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. swing — to play on

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