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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. mate — a friend
  3. plane — a tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — a partner
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. firm — steady
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. suit — to fit
  11. capital — money
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mate — to breed
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. capital — a city
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — decided
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — the month
  22. suit — clothes
  23. firm — a company
  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