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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: toast · cap · vault · board · hand · bank · arm · saw

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. board — a committee
  4. vault — a safe
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. cap — of ice
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bank — for money
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. hand — help
  18. bank — for money
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cap — a lid
  21. board — to get on
  22. toast — bread
  23. bank — of a river
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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