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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. drill — a practice
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. snap — to click
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. drill — army training
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rest — a break
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rest — what's left
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rest — what's left
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. scale — in music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. drill — the tool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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