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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chest — a box
  7. kick — in football
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pitch — completely
  13. board — a committee
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bound — obliged
  21. chest — of your body
  22. board — to get on
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. chest — of your 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