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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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468
Word bank
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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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 — a part of something
  2. object — to protest
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. object — a thing
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. charge — electricity
  11. race — humankind
  12. charge — in control
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stock — goods
  15. race — a contest
  16. object — an aim
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stock — shares
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. charge — a price
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  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