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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 always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spell — letters
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. spell — magic
  8. drill — army training
  9. present — a gift
  10. drill — a practice
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. rest — a break
  14. spell — a short time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. drill — the tool
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rest — what's left
  20. tube — a container
  21. swing — to play on
  22. present — there
  23. present — the time now
  24. tube — the underground

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