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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pound — a weight
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. clip — a video
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. clip — to cut
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. clip — for paper
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. craft — boats
  24. safe — out of danger

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