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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 120 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: racket · arm · mate · lie · chair · shower · cue · vault

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cue — a signal
  4. shower — to wash
  5. cue — a hint
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mate — a partner
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — rain
  17. vault — a safe
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chair — a leader
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. chair — a professorship

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