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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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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: arm · hand · vault · hide · track · bay · pit · board

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. vault — a safe
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — a committee
  8. track — a path
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. hand — help
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. track — a song
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pit — a hole
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — to get on
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hide — animal skin

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