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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. can — a tin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bound — tied together
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — a weight
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. arm — a part of something

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