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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. can — a tin
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. can — a tin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bat — the animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cue — for pool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stem — to come from
  24. hand — in cards

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