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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. mug — a cup
  3. file — a line of people
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — to sink
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — a country
  9. hand — help
  10. file — a document
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. hand — in cards
  13. land — ground
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. land — to come down
  16. mug — to rob
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mug — a face
  24. file — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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