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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wake — a trail
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. charge — electricity
  15. present — a gift
  16. roll — a list
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. present — the time now
  19. staff — a stick
  20. present — there
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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