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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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Word bank
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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cell — in biology
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. kick — in football
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. last — to go on
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. last — finally
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. last — final
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. stand — to bear
  22. roll — a cake
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cell — in a prison

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