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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — a thing
  7. staff — employees
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. saw — the tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lie — to recline
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. object — to protest
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. staff — a stick
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pitcher — a jug

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