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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. net — for catching
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. mouse — for a computer

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