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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. last — finally
  7. spell — magic
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bat — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. last — to go on
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rest — what's left
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. rest — a break
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. last — final

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