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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. suit — clothes
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. land — ground
  6. spell — a short time
  7. suit — in cards
  8. swing — in golf
  9. suit — to fit
  10. foot — a measure
  11. land — to come down
  12. swing — to play on
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. swing — music
  18. spell — magic
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. spell — letters
  23. land — a country
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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