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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. kid — to tease
  14. swing — in golf
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. swing — to play on
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. swing — music
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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