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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. kick — in football
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. deal — to handle
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wake — a trail
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — money
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. foot — a measure
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — with a leg

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