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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. net — for catching
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. net — after costs
  10. wound — an injury
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rush — hurry
  21. net — in sport
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. arm — a part of something

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