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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pitch — completely
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. spring — a coil
  7. drill — army training
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. roll — a cake
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. vault — a safe
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wax — to grow
  22. drill — the tool
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. arm — part of the body

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