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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. band — a music group
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bound — obliged
  11. saw — the tool
  12. band — a ring
  13. rest — what's left
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bound — tied together
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bound — certain
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — a break
  21. content — happy
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. content — the amount
  24. lie — an untruth

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