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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: rule · vault · stick · arm · field · foot · cabinet · ball

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rule — a law
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. field — a subject
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ball — a dance
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. field — for sport
  14. vault — a safe
  15. field — farmland
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rule — government
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ball — a great time
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ball — a round shape

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