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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. chip — for betting
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mate — to breed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pound — a weight
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pass — a permit
  20. chip — to eat
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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