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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mate — a friend
  4. key — in music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. firm — decided
  7. row — a line
  8. key — for a lock
  9. row — to paddle
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mate — a partner
  15. firm — a company
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mate — to breed
  18. suit — clothes
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. firm — steady
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. key — the most important part

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