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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. shower — to wash
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cue — a hint
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. shower — rain
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. arm — part of the 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