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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bear — the animal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. kid — child
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mate — a friend
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stock — shares
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stand — to bear
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — for light
  20. kid — to tease
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stock — goods
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bulb — of a plant

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