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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ball — a great time
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rest — a break
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — a box
  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