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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. 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. suit — in cards
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cell — in biology
  11. wound — an injury
  12. deal — to handle
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lie — to recline
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wound — an injury
  24. 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