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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. land — a country
  3. lie — to recline
  4. suit — to fit
  5. land — ground
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — in cards
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. land — to come down
  14. track — a song
  15. kick — in football
  16. track — a path
  17. press — newspapers
  18. suit — clothes
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. press — to push
  22. track — to keep track
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. press — a publisher

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