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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. firm — a company
  3. mark — a grade
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. ball — a great time
  9. firm — decided
  10. dip — to sink
  11. lean — thin
  12. present — there
  13. lean — to bend
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. firm — steady
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ball — a dance
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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