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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lean — thin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lean — to bend
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bulb — for light
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. rock — a stone
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. object — to protest
  14. last — final
  15. last — to go on
  16. foot — a measure
  17. object — an aim
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. last — finally
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rock — music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lean — to rest against

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