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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — obliged
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chest — of your body
  16. object — an aim
  17. bound — certain
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. chest — a box
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. cap — a hat

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