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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. band — a ring
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. last — to go on
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. last — finally
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. band — a music group
  15. club — a group
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. club — for dancing
  18. hand — help
  19. last — final
  20. club — for golf
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. band — a rubber band

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