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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ground — the earth
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. ground — crushed
  5. net — after costs
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. club — a group
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ground — a position
  10. net — for catching
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. sharp — clever
  15. present — the time now
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. club — for dancing
  18. present — there
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. net — in sport
  21. present — a gift
  22. roll — a cake
  23. toast — bread
  24. club — for golf

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