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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wake — a trail
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. drill — army training
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ground — a position
  12. drill — the tool
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ground — crushed
  17. scale — in music
  18. rest — a break
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rest — what's left
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. drill — a practice
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wake — before a funeral

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