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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. present — the time now
  3. face — to point toward
  4. present — there
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. present — a gift
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. face — part of the head
  16. object — an aim
  17. rest — a break
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. object — to protest
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. face — to confront
  24. object — a thing

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