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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. club — a group
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. net — after costs
  7. chair — a leader
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. net — for catching
  14. club — for golf
  15. mate — to breed
  16. firm — a company
  17. net — in sport
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bear — the animal
  24. club — for dancing

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