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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. chest — a box
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. track — to keep track
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. track — a path
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ball — a great time
  18. snap — to click
  19. track — a song
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. chest — of your body
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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