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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — part of the head
  9. track — a path
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. perch — the fish
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pop — music
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pop — to visit
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. face — to point toward
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pop — soda
  23. game — a match
  24. arm — part of the body

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