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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. current — happening now
  9. bound — certain
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bound — obliged
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pound — a weight
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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