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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.

Make a worksheet

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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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  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. arm — a part of something
  2. capital — a city
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. capital — money
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bear — the animal
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. kick — in football
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chest — a box
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bass — low music
  21. chest — of your body
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. capital — a big letter
  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