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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cell — in biology
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rock — music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. roll — a list
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. snap — to click
  16. rock — a stone
  17. roll — a cake
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. foot — a measure
  20. squash — the sport
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cell — a phone

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