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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rest — what's left
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rest — a break
  7. object — an aim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kid — child
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. kid — to tease
  15. craft — a skill
  16. object — to protest
  17. craft — boats
  18. object — a thing
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rest — what's left
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. arm — a part of something

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