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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. net — in sport
  4. branch — a division
  5. net — after costs
  6. tear — to rip
  7. foot — a measure
  8. net — for catching
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tear — from crying
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tear — from crying
  16. pit — in a race
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pit — a hole
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. arm — part of the body

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