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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rock — music
  11. present — a gift
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. firm — a company
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. firm — decided
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. firm — steady

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