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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. wake — a trail
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pass — a permit
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. dip — to sink
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pass — to succeed

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