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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. spring — the season
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. spring — of water
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. present — the time now
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rest — a break
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bowl — to roll

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