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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. toast — bread
  3. key — the most important part
  4. club — a group
  5. firm — steady
  6. club — for dancing
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — for a lock
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. clip — a video
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. club — for golf
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. firm — decided
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — to cut
  19. firm — a company
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. key — in music
  24. lean — thin

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