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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. degree — from a university
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. swing — music
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. object — an aim
  9. snap — to click
  10. swing — to play on
  11. object — a thing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bulb — for light
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. object — to protest
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — in golf
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. charge — in control
  22. degree — an amount
  23. degree — temperature
  24. charge — a price

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