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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. spell — letters
  3. tube — the underground
  4. spell — magic
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. game — a match
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spell — a short time
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pass — a permit
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. game — wild animals
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. arm — part of the body

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