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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — to recline
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. tube — a container
  15. pit — in a race
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pit — a hole

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