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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chair — a leader
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bear — the animal
  14. last — finally
  15. wind — moving air
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. fork — in a road
  22. last — to go on
  23. can — a tin
  24. last — final

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