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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. cell — a phone
  7. band — a ring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — clothes
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bark — to shout
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bark — of a tree
  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