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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. season — in sport
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. season — of the year
  10. chest — a box
  11. can — a tin
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rock — music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. can — a tin
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. can — to be able to
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. lie — an untruth

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