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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. object — a thing
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. object — an aim
  7. cue — a signal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. field — for sport
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. field — farmland
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. field — a subject
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pit — a hole
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pit — in a race
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. object — to protest
  24. cue — a hint

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