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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. key — in music
  4. kid — to tease
  5. land — a country
  6. suit — to fit
  7. land — ground
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — for a lock
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. land — to come down
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kid — child
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. suit — clothes
  18. key — the most important part
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pit — in a race

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