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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mate — to breed
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. firm — decided
  15. mate — a friend
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. land — a country
  21. firm — steady
  22. land — ground
  23. firm — a company
  24. land — to come down

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