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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. tube — the underground
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. tube — a container
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. staff — employees
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. net — after costs
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. scale — in music
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. tube — in a tire

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