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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. tube — a container
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — a gift
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bark — to shout
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bark — of a tree

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