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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. saw — the tool
  5. spell — magic
  6. pit — a hole
  7. spell — a short time
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pit — in a race
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. staff — employees
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spell — letters
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. squash — the sport
  23. foot — part of the body
  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