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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spring — the season
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. object — an aim
  9. pop — music
  10. object — a thing
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. pop — to visit
  14. spring — a coil
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. object — to protest
  17. pop — soda
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rest — a break
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pass — a permit
  24. spring — of water

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