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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. court — of a king
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. court — of law
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. can — a tin
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. court — for sport
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pop — to visit

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