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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 stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pit — a hole
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pit — in a race
  8. key — in music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. key — for a lock
  13. firm — decided
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bear — the animal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. firm — steady
  18. fall — the season
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. firm — a company
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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