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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mate — a partner
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. spell — letters
  6. bound — certain
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pop — music
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bound — obliged
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bound — tied together
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pop — soda
  18. spell — magic
  19. can — a tin
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pop — to visit

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