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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: season · arm · pit · can · scale · sharp · bore · vault

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bore — to tire
  4. scale — size or range
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pit — in a race
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. can — to be able to
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. scale — in music
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bore — to drill
  17. can — a tin
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — in sport
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. sharp — clever

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