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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fall — the season
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. fall — to drop
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bay — a horse colour

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