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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. sharp — clever
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. deal — to handle
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. wound — an injury
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wound — an injury

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