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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. face — to confront
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fine — all right
  19. craft — boats
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. face — to point toward
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. scale — size or range

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