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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. field — farmland
  9. rash — a series
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — a subject
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rash — hasty
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. firm — decided

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