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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — a grade
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. swing — music
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. swing — in golf
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. swing — to play on
  23. date — the fruit
  24. toast — bread

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