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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pit — in a race
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. snap — to click
  14. lean — to bend
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pit — a hole
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. lean — thin
  22. object — a thing
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lean — to rest against

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