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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. sharp — clever
  6. board — to get on
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mug — a face
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. board — a committee
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cue — a hint
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mine — for digging

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