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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. spell — magic
  3. pit — in a race
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. spell — letters
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. club — a group
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pit — a hole
  15. dip — to sink
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. spell — a short time
  23. prune — to trim
  24. club — for golf

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