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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. charge — electricity
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. key — in music
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. firm — decided
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. race — the arms race
  12. firm — steady
  13. ball — a great time
  14. race — humankind
  15. ball — a dance
  16. charge — a price
  17. key — for a lock
  18. race — a contest
  19. firm — a company
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. key — the most important part
  22. toast — bread
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. charge — in control

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