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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. content — the amount
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — clothes
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — happy
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. suit — to fit
  24. arm — part of the body

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