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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. current — of water
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chest — of your body
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chest — a box
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. current — happening now
  17. bank — for money
  18. chest — of your body
  19. current — electric
  20. hand — help
  21. bank — for money
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. safe — out of danger

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