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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. hand — help
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. vault — a safe
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cue — a hint
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rash — hasty
  21. cue — a signal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. cue — for pool
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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