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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. hand — help
  5. chest — of your body
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. chest — of your body
  11. pop — music
  12. band — a ring
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chest — a box
  16. toast — bread
  17. hand — in cards
  18. band — a music group
  19. pop — soda
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ruler — a monarch

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