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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — employees
  5. court — of law
  6. staff — a stick
  7. firm — steady
  8. mate — a partner
  9. key — in music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. staff — employees
  12. mate — to breed
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. firm — a company
  15. ball — a great time
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — the most important part
  18. perch — the fish
  19. court — for sport
  20. ball — a dance
  21. key — for a lock
  22. firm — decided
  23. mate — a friend
  24. court — of a king

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