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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. suit — in cards
  3. date — the fruit
  4. ball — a dance
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. current — of water
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. current — electric
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tear — from crying
  24. current — happening now

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