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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: content · bay · arm · swing · vault · wound · patient · racket

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wound — an injury
  8. swing — in golf
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. content — the amount
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. swing — to play on
  21. content — happy
  22. wound — an injury
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. content — videos and posts

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