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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. roll — a list
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. suit — clothes
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rest — what's left
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. chest — of your body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. suit — to fit
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a cake
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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