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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.

Make a worksheet

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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mine — for digging
  4. key — the most important part
  5. last — to go on
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. can — a tin
  9. key — in music
  10. pit — in a race
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. key — for a lock
  16. last — finally
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. can — a tin
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. last — final
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pit — a hole

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