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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 120 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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. court — for sport
  3. ground — crushed
  4. suit — clothes
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — in cards
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. ground — a position
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. firm — decided
  13. vault — a safe
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. court — of law
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. court — of a king
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — to fit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — steady
  23. ground — the earth
  24. firm — a company

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