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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. saw — the tool
  3. club — a group
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wind — moving air
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bear — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. club — for dancing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bear — the animal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. hand — help
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. club — for golf
  19. hand — in cards
  20. wind — moving air
  21. foot — a measure
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bear — to put up with

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