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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. suit — clothes
  10. game — a match
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. suit — to fit
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. date — the fruit
  23. wake — a trail
  24. chair — a leader

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