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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bark — to shout
  4. squash — the sport
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cue — a hint
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cue — a signal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. file — a document
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. face — to confront
  21. file — a tool
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. face — part of the head

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