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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. row — a line
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pass — a permit
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rest — a break
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. toast — bread
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rock — music
  24. row — to paddle

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