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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stock — goods
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wake — a trail
  8. object — to protest
  9. ground — the earth
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ground — a position
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ground — crushed
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. object — a thing
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. snap — to click
  21. object — an aim
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stock — shares
  24. arm — part of the body

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