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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rest — a break
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rest — what's left
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. rest — what's left
  16. firm — decided
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rush — hurry
  22. race — the arms race
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bank — for money

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