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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stock — goods
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. game — a match
  17. stock — shares
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rest — a break
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. prune — to trim
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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