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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: arm · firm · spring · cue · calf · vault · clip · deal

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cue — a hint
  5. firm — decided
  6. cue — for pool
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. clip — for paper
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. spring — of water
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spring — a coil
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cue — a signal
  19. vault — a safe
  20. deal — to handle
  21. spring — the season
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. arm — a part of something

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