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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. mug — a face
  5. hand — help
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spring — the season
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mug — a cup
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mug — to rob
  15. charge — a price
  16. spring — of water
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. spring — a coil
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. charge — in control
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pitch — a sports field

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