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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. wake — a trail
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. craft — boats
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. spell — letters
  20. craft — a skill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wake — before a funeral

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