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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bass — the fish
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lean — thin
  7. ground — crushed
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bass — low music
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bulb — for light
  17. capital — money
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. capital — a city
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. ground — the earth
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ground — a position

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