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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. court — for sport
  8. craft — boats
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. plane — a tool
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tube — a container
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. foot — a measure
  21. court — of law
  22. craft — a skill
  23. court — of a king
  24. craft — a handicraft

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