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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. staff — a stick
  5. track — a path
  6. deal — to handle
  7. craft — a skill
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. track — a song
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. staff — employees
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rule — government
  18. staff — employees
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. craft — boats

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