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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: saw · cap · arm · present · temple · vault · mark · dip

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. present — a gift
  5. saw — the tool
  6. present — there
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mark — a trace
  9. saw — the tool
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — a lid
  17. present — the time now
  18. dip — to sink
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. vault — a safe
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mark — a grade

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