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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. track — a song
  4. suit — clothes
  5. staff — employees
  6. pass — a permit
  7. track — to keep track
  8. suit — to fit
  9. present — a gift
  10. race — humankind
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. staff — a stick
  13. present — there
  14. race — a contest
  15. present — the time now
  16. race — the arms race
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. track — a path
  19. staff — employees
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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