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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 120 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — a trace
  10. club — a group
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pitch — completely
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. club — for golf
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. club — for dancing
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bay — a horse colour

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