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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fine — all right
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pit — a hole
  15. roll — a cake
  16. rash — a series
  17. key — the most important part
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pit — in a race
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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