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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. ground — a position
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ground — the earth
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. deal — to handle
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pitch — completely
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — a big deal

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