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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pit — in a race
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mine — for digging
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fall — the season
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pit — a hole
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fall — to drop
  23. deal — to handle
  24. suit — to fit

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