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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. march — music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. game — wild animals
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. march — the month
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. key — in music
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. march — the month
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. game — a match

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