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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. squash — to crush
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ground — crushed
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pass — a permit
  10. foot — a measure
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bank — of a river
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. cue — a hint
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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