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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. can — to be able to
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. staff — a stick
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. rest — a break
  12. staff — employees
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. staff — employees
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rash — a series
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — to handle

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