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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. key — in music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. charge — in control
  7. rest — a break
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rash — a series
  11. charge — a price
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rash — hasty
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — to fit
  17. charge — electricity
  18. saw — the tool
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. suit — clothes
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. racket — for tennis

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