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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. court — of law
  3. present — there
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. court — of a king
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. present — the time now
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cue — for pool
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. can — to be able to
  14. face — to confront
  15. cue — a signal
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — high quality
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. court — for sport
  21. fine — all right
  22. cue — a hint
  23. present — a gift
  24. date — the fruit

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