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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. track — a song
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bore — to tire
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rash — a series
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. sharp — clever
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. track — a path
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rash — hasty
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rash — on the skin

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