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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pit — in a race
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mate — to breed
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. key — in music
  21. tear — to rip
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. tear — from crying

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