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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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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bank — for money
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ground — the earth
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ground — a position
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bank — for money
  14. ground — crushed
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. deal — to handle

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