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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.

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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. present — there
  5. ball — a dance
  6. perch — the fish
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. present — a gift
  10. vault — a safe
  11. present — the time now
  12. ball — a great time
  13. snap — to click
  14. tear — from crying
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. tear — from crying
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. face — to confront
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. face — to point toward
  23. tear — to rip
  24. face — part of the head

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