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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. present — there
  4. bear — the animal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. key — in music
  9. present — a gift
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. wake — a trail
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. staff — employees
  18. foot — a measure
  19. present — the time now
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mine — for digging
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wake — before a funeral

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