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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. charge — electricity
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. saw — the tool
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. key — in music
  11. charge — a price
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. suit — to fit
  14. charge — in control
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. last — final
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. straw — a straw man

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