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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. tube — a container
  18. arm — a part of something

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