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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — in control
  5. mate — to breed
  6. object — to protest
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mate — a friend
  10. degree — an amount
  11. root — of a plant
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. degree — temperature
  15. charge — a price
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. object — an aim
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. degree — from a university
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. charge — electricity
  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