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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. That must've been 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. club — for golf
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. roll — a list
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. club — for dancing
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rule — a law
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. charge — a price
  17. roll — a cake
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pitch — completely
  20. club — a group
  21. rule — government
  22. rush — hurry
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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