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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cap — a hat
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. kid — child
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — a committee
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bear — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. board — to get on
  16. kid — to tease
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cap — a lid
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cap — of ice
  24. perch — the fish

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