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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — in sport
  6. pop — soda
  7. face — to confront
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pop — music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. face — to point toward
  19. net — for catching
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — after costs
  24. nail — on a finger

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