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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 120 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's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. can — a tin
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pop — soda
  5. craft — boats
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pitch — completely
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pop — music
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. game — a match
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. can — a tin
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pop — to visit
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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