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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: jam · bass · vault · cap · chip · rush · arm · lean

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chip — to eat
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. lean — thin
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lean — to bend
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bass — low music
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. cap — a hat
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cap — of ice
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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