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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. field — a subject
  5. lean — to bend
  6. net — after costs
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. field — for sport
  10. row — a line
  11. vault — a safe
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. march — the month
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. field — farmland
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. march — music
  20. row — to paddle
  21. net — in sport
  22. march — the month
  23. lean — thin
  24. net — for catching

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