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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. season — in sport
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chip — to eat
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fall — the season
  10. plane — a tool
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. club — for golf
  17. bear — the animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fall — to drop
  20. club — a group
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. season — of the year
  24. club — for dancing

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