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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. kick — in football
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ground — a position
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. staff — a stick
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rash — a series
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rash — hasty
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. fine — all right
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. stem — to come from

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