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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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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. degree — temperature
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pop — music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. degree — from a university
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pop — soda
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cue — a signal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cue — a hint
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pop — to visit
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. kick — in football
  21. cue — for pool
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — 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