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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bulb — for light
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. firm — decided
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. firm — steady
  21. chest — a box
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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