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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. net — in sport
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. club — a group
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. club — for dancing
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. face — to point toward
  19. club — for golf
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bear — the animal

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