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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wind — moving air
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. scale — in music
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. band — a ring
  9. mark — a grade
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. band — a music group
  15. wind — moving air
  16. snap — to click
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — to wash
  21. scale — size or range
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. suit — in cards

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