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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — a group
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. snap — to click
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. club — for golf
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. sharp — clever
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. sharp — exactly

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