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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chest — of your body
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bound — obliged
  7. tear — from crying
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. can — a tin
  10. land — ground
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tear — from crying
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rock — music
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. can — a tin
  17. rock — a stone
  18. land — a country
  19. can — to be able to
  20. chest — a box
  21. land — to come down
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bound — certain
  24. plane — a tool

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