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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. craft — a skill
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lie — to recline
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. toast — bread
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — boats
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lie — an untruth

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