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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — a break
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. can — a tin
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bark — of a tree

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