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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cell — in biology
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. season — in sport
  18. bark — to shout
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. foot — a measure

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