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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bear — the animal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. spell — magic
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. vault — a safe
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rash — a series
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rash — hasty
  16. scale — in music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — letters
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wind — moving air
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. scale — size or range
  24. wind — moving air

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