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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. snap — to click
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. craft — boats
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ground — a position
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. ground — crushed
  16. craft — a skill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. deal — to handle
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rest — a break
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fork — in a road
  24. rest — what's left

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