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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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Word bank
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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 · pitcher · rock · firm · vault · rest · bear · rash

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bear — the animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rock — music
  13. rest — a break
  14. firm — steady
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rock — a stone
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rash — a series
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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