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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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. present — there
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. present — the time now
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. tear — to rip
  11. present — a gift
  12. scale — size or range
  13. plane — a tool
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. race — humankind
  18. cell — in biology
  19. pit — a hole
  20. cell — a phone
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. scale — in music

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