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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 120 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. face — to confront
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stem — to come from
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. face — to point toward
  9. clip — to cut
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. scale — size or range
  12. clip — a video
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pop — soda
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pop — to visit
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. scale — in music
  22. pop — music
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. clip — for paper

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