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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bound — tied together
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wake — a trail
  8. saw — the tool
  9. snap — to click
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mark — a grade
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rest — a break
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. saw — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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