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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 120 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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468
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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fall — to drop
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. staff — employees
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. game — a match
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fall — the season
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. staff — employees
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. staff — a stick

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