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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rock — music
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mark — a trace
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pit — in a race
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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