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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. firm — steady
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. firm — decided
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. current — of water
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. firm — a company
  15. toast — bread
  16. wake — a trail
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. arm — a part of something

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