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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. ball — a dance
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. chest — a box
  18. mug — a face
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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