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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. spell — magic
  3. court — for sport
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. object — a thing
  6. spell — a short time
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. object — to protest
  10. court — of law
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pitch — completely
  15. court — of a king
  16. object — an aim
  17. spell — letters
  18. arm — part of the body

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