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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. rule — a law
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. net — in sport
  7. row — a line
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. net — after costs
  12. toast — bread
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — government
  22. net — for catching
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. ruler — for measuring

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