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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. net — in sport
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. perch — the fish
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. cue — for pool
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cell — in biology
  13. staff — employees
  14. cell — a phone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. staff — a stick
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. staff — employees

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