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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. current — electric
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rock — music
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rock — a stone
  17. chair — a leader
  18. current — of water
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. current — happening now
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rule — a law

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