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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rash — a series
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. band — a ring
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitch — completely
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. chest — a box
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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