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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. dip — to sink
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. face — part of the head
  10. prune — to trim
  11. can — to be able to
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pop — soda
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. can — a tin
  23. pass — a permit
  24. kid — child

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