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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. season — of the year
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — in music
  8. squash — the sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. sharp — clever
  15. key — the most important part
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pass — a permit
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. season — in sport
  24. pass — to succeed

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