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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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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ground — crushed
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ground — a position
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ground — the earth
  16. game — a match
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. key — in music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — for betting
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. pound — a weight

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