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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. face — part of the head
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pitch — completely
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. face — to confront
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. face — to point toward
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bass — the fish

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