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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. prune — to trim
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. suit — to fit
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. toast — bread
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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