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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. hand — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. hand — help
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cold — not warm
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bore — to drill
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cold — an illness
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bore — to 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