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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. present — a gift
  3. vault — a safe
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — the time now
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. suit — in cards
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. present — there
  14. rest — what's left
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. rest — what's left
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. game — a match

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