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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. net — in sport
  5. fall — to drop
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. fork — in a road
  10. cue — a signal
  11. net — after costs
  12. rest — a break
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. net — for catching
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. fall — the season
  22. cue — a hint
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cue — for pool

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