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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. key — in music
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lean — to bend
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — for a lock
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. object — a thing
  13. squash — to crush
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. tube — the underground
  16. object — an aim
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. key — the most important part
  19. object — to protest
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. craft — boats
  24. lean — thin

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