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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bound — obliged
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. vault — a safe
  10. perch — the fish
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. squash — to crush
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bound — certain
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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