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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. court — for sport
  3. bark — to shout
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. present — there
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. date — the fruit
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. present — a gift
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pass — a permit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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