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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
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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. foot — a measure
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rest — what's left
  9. swing — in golf
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. swing — to play on
  12. squash — the sport
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. swing — music
  15. chest — a box
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. squash — to crush
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rest — a break
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rest — what's left

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