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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. staff — a stick
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spell — letters
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lie — to recline
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bowl — to roll

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