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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. arm — a part of something
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. swing — to play on
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. key — in music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. key — the most important part
  12. swing — in golf
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. sharp — clever
  15. saw — the tool
  16. net — after costs
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — for catching
  21. key — for a lock
  22. swing — music
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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