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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. court — of law
  7. court — of a king
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. court — for sport
  13. cap — a hat
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cap — of ice
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bark — to shout

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