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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fine — all right
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. key — for a lock
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bear — the animal
  13. race — the arms race
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wake — a trail
  16. key — the most important part
  17. swing — to play on
  18. race — humankind
  19. key — in music
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. swing — music
  22. fine — high quality
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. race — a contest

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