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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ground — crushed
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bulb — for light
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bark — to shout
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. ground — a position
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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