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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. game — a match
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lie — to recline
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — a measure
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rest — what's left
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. game — wild animals

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