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

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. chest — of your body
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. capital — a city
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. chest — a box
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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