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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mug — to rob
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mug — a face
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bank — for money
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bank — for money
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rock — music
  18. roll — a list
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rock — a stone
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. nail — for a hammer

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