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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: arm · firm · straw · racket · fine · fall · lie · vault

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fall — the season
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. firm — steady
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fine — all right
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lie — to recline
  20. firm — decided
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lie — an untruth

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