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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. spell — magic
  6. ground — crushed
  7. spell — a short time
  8. vault — a safe
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ground — the earth
  13. drill — a practice
  14. spell — letters
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. suit — in cards
  17. drill — the tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ground — a position
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. kick — in football
  22. drill — army training
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. suit — to fit

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