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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wound — an injury
  3. kick — in football
  4. rock — music
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ball — a great time
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. snap — to click
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stock — goods
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — shares
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ball — a dance
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. rock — a stone

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