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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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. tear — to rip
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. can — to be able to
  5. cue — for pool
  6. staff — employees
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. staff — a stick
  9. object — to protest
  10. tear — from crying
  11. file — a tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rest — a break
  15. file — a line of people
  16. cue — a hint
  17. object — an aim
  18. file — a document
  19. staff — employees
  20. object — a thing
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rest — what's left

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