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

Word bank: suit · pit · wind · charge · key · arm · season · deal

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. season — in sport
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wind — moving air
  5. key — the most important part
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. suit — clothes
  10. charge — a price
  11. wind — moving air
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. key — in music
  15. deal — to handle
  16. charge — electricity
  17. key — for a lock
  18. season — of the year
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. charge — in control
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. suit — in cards
  24. deal — an agreement

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