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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. chest — of your body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. chest — of your body
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. chest — a box
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. can — a tin
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cell — a phone
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fork — to eat with

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