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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cap — a hat
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. rush — hurry
  8. spell — a short time
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. spell — magic
  11. cap — a lid
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. spell — letters
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pass — a permit
  20. deal — to handle
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. key — the most important part
  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