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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. present — a gift
  3. key — in music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. present — the time now
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. key — for a lock
  13. present — there
  14. key — the most important part
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rest — what's left
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. trunk — of a car

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