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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. press — to push
  5. tube — a container
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. press — a publisher
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. suit — clothes
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. scale — in music
  19. tube — the underground
  20. press — newspapers
  21. date — the fruit
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. date — on the calendar

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