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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. pop — soda
  3. lie — to recline
  4. key — in music
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pop — music
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bass — the fish
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. race — humankind
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bass — low music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. object — to protest
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. race — a contest
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — an aim
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. object — a thing
  23. foot — the bottom
  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