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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stock — shares
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. pitch — completely
  17. ball — a great time
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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