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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. face — part of the head
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. face — to confront
  8. squash — to crush
  9. firm — steady
  10. staff — employees
  11. charge — in control
  12. staff — employees
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. firm — decided
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. squash — the sport
  21. charge — a price
  22. firm — a company
  23. staff — a stick
  24. face — to point toward

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