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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. degree — an amount
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mate — a friend
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mate — a partner
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bound — tied together
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bound — obliged
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mate — to breed
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bound — certain
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. degree — from a university
  20. key — in music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lean — thin
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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