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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wind — moving air
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — a measure
  6. charge — in control
  7. staff — a stick
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — all right
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. staff — employees
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wind — moving air
  20. staff — employees
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. charge — a price
  24. foot — the bottom

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