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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. snap — to click
  5. pitch — completely
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. tear — from crying
  10. board — to get on
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. board — a committee
  17. saw — the tool
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. tear — from crying
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. scale — for weighing

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