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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bat — the animal
  21. wax — to grow
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — to recline
  24. nail — for a hammer

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