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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. tube — a container
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. plane — a tool
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cue — for pool
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. object — an aim
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. tube — the underground
  18. object — to protest
  19. sharp — clever
  20. object — a thing
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cell — in biology
  24. arm — 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