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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. net — for catching
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. date — the fruit
  11. band — a ring
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. rest — a break
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. rest — what's left
  17. band — a music group
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. net — in sport
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. net — after costs
  23. bear — the animal
  24. toast — bread

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