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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: club · arm · stand · vault · rule · snap · mug · calf

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mug — to rob
  8. vault — a safe
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. mug — a face
  20. snap — to click
  21. club — for dancing
  22. rule — a law
  23. stand — to bear
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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