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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bore — to tire
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — there
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rock — music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. squash — to crush
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. squash — the sport
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rock — a stone
  21. spell — magic
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bore — to drill
  24. spell — letters

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