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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — a weight
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pop — music

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