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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of 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. safe — out of danger
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fall — the season
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. net — after costs
  12. rash — a series
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. net — for catching
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. net — in sport

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