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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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 — part of the body
  3. content — happy
  4. content — the amount
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chest — a box
  16. plane — a tool
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rock — music
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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