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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mug — a face
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. date — the fruit
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. tear — from crying
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mug — a cup
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. tear — to rip
  19. squash — to crush
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mug — to rob
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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