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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. branch — a division
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — all right
  10. tube — the underground
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. tube — a container
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rush — hurry
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. vault — a safe
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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