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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. snap — to click
  3. content — the amount
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rest — what's left
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rest — a break
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. content — happy
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — all right
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. arm — part of the body

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