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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fall — to drop
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fall — the season
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. object — to protest
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mine — for digging
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fall — to drop
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. saw — the tool
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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