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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stock — shares
  4. foot — a measure
  5. charge — a price
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. race — the arms race
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. race — humankind
  14. firm — decided
  15. charge — electricity
  16. race — a contest
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stock — goods
  24. leaves — to go away

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