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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mark — a grade
  3. deal — to handle
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wake — a trail
  6. drill — a practice
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. toast — bread
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. drill — army training
  20. rule — government
  21. mark — a trace
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rule — a law
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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