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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. chest — of your body
  10. court — of law
  11. chest — a box
  12. chest — of your body
  13. court — for sport
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — of a king
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wave — with your hand

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