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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — in cards
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wind — moving air
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. foot — a measure
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. sharp — clever
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wind — moving air

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