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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. can — a tin
  17. ground — a position
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ground — the earth
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ground — crushed
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitch — a sports field

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