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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — decided
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cold — not warm
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — a safe
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cold — an illness
  24. mouse — for a computer

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