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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. charge — a price
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. content — the amount
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. content — happy
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rash — hasty
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. charge — electricity
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ground — the earth
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rash — a series
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. charge — in control
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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