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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. file — a document
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. file — a tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fall — to drop
  9. suit — clothes
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. suit — to fit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. file — a line of people
  16. suit — in cards
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. craft — a skill
  19. roll — a cake
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. roll — a list
  22. fall — to drop
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fall — the season

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