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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. stock — goods
  12. ball — a dance
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. branch — a division
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. stock — shares

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