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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. charge — a price
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. content — happy
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. content — the amount
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. charge — electricity
  14. foot — a measure
  15. root — of a word
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. root — the cause
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. root — of a plant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. plane — a tool
  23. charge — in control
  24. lash — an eyelash

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