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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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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: arm · squash · stand · key · dip · object · spring · pit

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. squash — the sport
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pit — a hole
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. object — an aim
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. object — a thing
  13. pit — in a race
  14. key — in music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — to bear
  17. dip — to sink
  18. key — the most important part
  19. spring — of water
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. key — for a lock
  22. spring — the season
  23. object — to protest
  24. stand — for spectators

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