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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: stick · board · vault · root · bat · race · pass · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. race — the arms race
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. root — of a plant
  11. race — a contest
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. root — of a word
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bat — the animal
  16. root — the cause
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. board — a committee
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. race — humankind
  24. board — to get on

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