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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. face — to confront
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pitch — completely
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. firm — decided
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. row — a line
  15. firm — steady
  16. toast — bread
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. firm — a company
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. face — to point toward

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