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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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. arm — part of the body
  4. object — an aim
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. band — a music group
  8. chest — of your body
  9. band — a ring
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — a thing
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. mate — to breed
  19. object — to protest
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pound — a weight
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. arm — a part of something

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