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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 · pitch · bear · wound · board · vault · root · suit

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wound — an injury
  6. board — to get on
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. suit — to fit
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. board — a committee
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wound — an injury
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. suit — clothes
  19. root — the cause
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. root — of a plant
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. arm — part of the body

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