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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pound — a weight
  4. dip — to sink
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. foot — a measure
  10. can — a tin
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. last — finally
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bore — to drill
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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