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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. ball — a great time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pop — music
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. suit — to fit
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. kid — child
  17. pop — soda
  18. ball — a dance
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pop — to visit
  22. branch — a division
  23. kid — to tease
  24. suit — clothes

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