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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. object — a thing
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. object — to protest
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wound — an injury
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. scale — in music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cap — a hat
  15. scale — size or range
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. wound — an injury
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. object — an aim
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. safe — out of danger

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