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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. season — in sport
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. band — a ring
  8. roll — a list
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mug — a face
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. band — a music group
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mug — a cup
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. mug — to rob
  17. roll — a cake
  18. season — of the year
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rest — what's left
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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