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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pop — music
  5. mark — a grade
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mark — a trace
  13. file — a document
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. suit — clothes
  18. file — a tool
  19. pop — to visit
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pop — soda
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. suit — to fit

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