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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lean — to bend
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. row — to paddle
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rock — music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. row — a line
  23. lean — thin
  24. rock — a stone

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