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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.

Words on the sheet
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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. rest — a break
  4. pop — soda
  5. cue — for pool
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pop — music
  9. kick — in football
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rest — what's left
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pop — to visit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cue — a signal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rest — what's left
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. chest — of your body
  24. perch — the fish

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