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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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. tube — a container
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. content — the amount
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. tube — the underground
  11. toast — bread
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. content — happy
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. content — videos and posts

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