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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. staff — a stick
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ball — a dance
  9. can — a tin
  10. hand — in cards
  11. can — a tin
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ball — a great time
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. staff — employees
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. pit — in a race
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. staff — employees
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fan — a supporter

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