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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pop — soda
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pop — music
  10. firm — a company
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rest — what's left
  14. spell — magic
  15. rush — hurry
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spell — letters
  22. rest — a break
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. patient — a sick person

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