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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mug — a face
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pit — in a race
  10. degree — temperature
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bound — certain
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. degree — an amount
  24. pass — a permit

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