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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — to fit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. firm — decided
  6. suit — clothes
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mate — to breed
  10. firm — steady
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rash — a series
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mate — a friend
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — a company
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rash — hasty
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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