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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 120 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 · mug · game · band · rash · staff · squash · vault

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. band — a ring
  4. staff — employees
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. vault — a safe
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. game — wild animals
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. squash — to crush
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rash — a series
  13. game — a match
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. staff — a stick
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rash — hasty
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. staff — employees
  21. mug — a face
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. band — a music group
  24. mug — to rob

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