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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. band — a ring
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fall — the season
  10. charge — in control
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. fall — to drop
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. drill — a practice
  21. band — a music group
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mouse — for a computer

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