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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. key — the most important part
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. craft — a skill
  10. plane — a tool
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wound — an injury
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wake — a trail
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. deal — to handle

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