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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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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: arm · present · can · season · roll · snap · mine · pit

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. roll — a list
  3. pit — a hole
  4. can — a tin
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. can — a tin
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. roll — a cake
  14. present — there
  15. can — to be able to
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. season — of the year
  20. mine — for digging
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pit — in a race

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