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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spell — letters
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. suit — clothes
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. spell — magic
  8. race — a contest
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. hand — help
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. spell — a short time
  14. key — the most important part
  15. suit — in cards
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. key — in music
  19. race — the arms race
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. race — humankind
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mouse — the animal

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