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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. swing — to play on
  3. lie — to recline
  4. sharp — clever
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — clothes
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. shower — to wash
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — in cards
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. suit — to fit
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. swing — music
  18. shower — rain
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. swing — in golf
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. sharp — with an edge

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