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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. club — for golf
  8. plane — a tool
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mine — for digging
  14. scale — in music
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. club — a group
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mark — a grade

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