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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ball — a dance
  10. snap — to click
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ball — a great time
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. mark — a grade
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. bear — the animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bear — the animal

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