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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. capital — a city
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mate — to breed
  15. suit — in cards
  16. capital — money
  17. fork — in a road
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mate — a friend
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. capital — a big letter

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