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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bear — the animal
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. face — part of the head
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bear — the animal
  12. face — to confront
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fine — high quality
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — a tin
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. face — to point toward
  23. can — a tin
  24. fine — all right

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