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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cue — for pool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cue — a hint
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. game — a match
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. pass — a permit
  24. date — the fruit

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