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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chair — a leader
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mine — for digging
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. craft — a skill
  14. track — to keep track
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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