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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. track — to keep track
  3. net — in sport
  4. track — a song
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rash — a series
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. lean — thin
  14. pop — soda
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pit — a hole
  17. dip — to sink
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — after costs
  20. track — a path
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rash — hasty
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. net — for catching

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