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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: racket · vault · suit · plane · rest · arm · race · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. suit — in cards
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rest — what's left
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — a contest
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. vault — a safe
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. plane — a tool
  23. race — the arms race
  24. suit — clothes

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