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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. scale — size or range
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. can — a tin
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. scale — in music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. arm — part of the body

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