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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — certain
  4. root — the cause
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bound — tied together
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pass — a permit
  21. root — of a word
  22. mark — a grade
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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