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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. pitch — completely
  5. present — there
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fine — all right
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cap — a hat
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cap — of ice
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fine — high quality
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mark — a grade

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