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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. roll — a list
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. craft — boats
  15. saw — the tool
  16. craft — a skill
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. saw — the tool
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mine — for digging

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