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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. kick — in football
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bound — tied together
  8. hand — help
  9. bound — certain
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rest — a break
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rest — what's left
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. hand — in cards
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. hand — 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