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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. object — to protest
  16. tube — a container
  17. race — humankind
  18. staff — employees
  19. object — a thing
  20. race — the arms race
  21. staff — a stick
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. race — a contest
  24. object — an aim

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