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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mug — a face
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rash — hasty
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rock — music
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. mug — a cup
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. chest — a box
  20. rash — a series
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. ruler — a monarch

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