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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mark — a grade
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. squash — the sport
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. suit — clothes
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. suit — in cards
  24. coach — a trainer

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