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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: fine · vault · sharp · lean · bowl · dip · arm · pit

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lean — thin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fine — high quality
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fine — all right
  18. sharp — clever
  19. lean — to bend
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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