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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mark — a trace
  3. squash — to crush
  4. can — a tin
  5. squash — the sport
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. sharp — clever
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spring — of water
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rock — music
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. can — a tin
  22. spring — the season
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. arm — a part of something

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