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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. suit — in cards
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spell — magic
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. suit — to fit
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. spell — a short time
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. content — happy
  16. suit — clothes
  17. content — the amount
  18. spell — letters

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