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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — to keep track
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. shower — rain
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mug — a cup
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. track — a path
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. mug — to rob
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mug — a face
  23. track — a song
  24. shower — to wash

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