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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. dip — to sink
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fork — in a road

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