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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · bore · vault · race · cue · present

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bore — to drill
  7. present — there
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. race — humankind
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cue — a hint
  13. race — a contest
  14. present — the time now
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. present — a gift

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