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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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468
Word bank
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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse 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. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. kid — to tease
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. swing — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. swing — in golf
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — a stone
  17. spell — a short time
  18. suit — to fit
  19. kid — child
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spell — letters
  23. swing — to play on
  24. spell — magic

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