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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mark — a trace
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pit — a hole
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. can — a tin
  12. clip — a video
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. can — a tin
  20. lie — to recline
  21. clip — to cut
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. clip — for paper

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