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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rest — a break
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rest — what's left
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fall — the season
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ball — a great time
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fall — to drop
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. deal — to handle

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