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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. chest — of your body
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. charge — electricity
  5. net — after costs
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. plane — a tool
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. dip — to sink
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. charge — in control
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. chest — of your body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chest — a box
  20. net — in sport
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — a price
  24. plane — in geometry

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