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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. club — for dancing
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. clip — a video
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — for paper
  13. lean — thin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lean — to bend
  20. toast — bread
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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