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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pound — a weight
  4. deal — to handle
  5. content — the amount
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. content — happy
  17. band — a music group
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. band — a ring

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