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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. suit — clothes
  3. chest — a box
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. season — of the year
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cue — a signal
  15. chest — of your body
  16. firm — decided
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chest — of your body
  19. cue — a hint
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. firm — steady
  24. hand — help

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