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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rash — a series
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rash — hasty
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. charge — a price
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — from a university
  19. charge — in control
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. degree — temperature
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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