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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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468
Word bank
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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bulb — for light
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rest — a break
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chest — of your body
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fine — all right
  24. mate — to breed

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