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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. content — happy
  10. wake — a trail
  11. firm — a company
  12. content — the amount
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — decided
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pop — soda
  18. mate — a partner
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pop — music
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mate — to breed
  23. firm — steady
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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