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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mug — to rob
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. cold — an illness
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. capital — a city
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. capital — money
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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