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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. squash — the sport
  8. saw — the tool
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. squash — to crush
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — of water
  16. game — a match
  17. current — happening now
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pass — a permit
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pitch — completely

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