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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bore — to tire
  8. present — the time now
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. deal — to handle
  11. court — of a king
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pass — a permit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. court — for sport
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. present — there
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. court — of law
  23. present — a gift
  24. arm — a part of something

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