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

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fine — all right
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fine — high quality
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. firm — decided
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mate — a partner
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mate — a friend
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. shower — rain
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mate — to breed

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