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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · rock · ball · arm · rash · mate · pit · game

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pit — a hole
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mate — a friend
  6. staff — a stick
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. game — a match
  11. ball — a dance
  12. game — wild animals
  13. staff — employees
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rash — hasty
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. rock — music
  20. pit — in a race
  21. staff — employees
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mate — a partner
  24. arm — part of the body

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