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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ground — a position
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. tear — from crying
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. spell — letters
  8. mate — to breed
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. craft — boats
  13. tear — to rip
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. spell — a short time
  16. craft — a skill
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mate — a partner
  20. spell — magic
  21. tear — from crying
  22. vault — a safe
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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