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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mug — to rob
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fan — a supporter

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