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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. staff — employees
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fine — high quality
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mate — a partner
  12. staff — employees
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lean — thin
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mark — a trace
  24. staff — a stick

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