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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. kid — child
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cue — for pool
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pitch — completely
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. band — a music group
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cue — a hint
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. band — a ring
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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