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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · face · arm · ball · rest · can · dip · cue

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rest — what's left
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. face — to confront
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rest — what's left
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. face — to point toward
  24. rest — a break

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