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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. bear — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. firm — steady
  17. rest — a break
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rest — what's left
  24. saw — the tool

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