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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pound — a weight
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bark — to shout
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. scale — size or range
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. scale — in music
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. chair — a leader
  24. temple — a place of worship

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