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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. key — in music
  5. ball — a great time
  6. key — the most important part
  7. craft — boats
  8. row — to paddle
  9. present — there
  10. craft — a skill
  11. key — for a lock
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. row — a line
  14. cue — a signal
  15. present — a gift
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. present — the time now
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — for pool

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