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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. dip — to sink
  3. court — of law
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. court — for sport
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rock — music
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. court — of a king
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rock — a stone
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rock — to move gently

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