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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spell — magic
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — all right
  8. squash — the sport
  9. chair — a leader
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. spell — a short time
  12. foot — a measure
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. land — a country
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. spell — letters
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. squash — to crush

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