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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kick — in football
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rest — a break
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. foot — a measure
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. stem — to come from
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mug — a face

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