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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bank — for money
  5. degree — an amount
  6. charge — in control
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stand — to bear
  10. charge — electricity
  11. deal — to handle
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bank — of a river
  15. charge — a price
  16. rock — music
  17. bank — for money
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. degree — from a university
  24. rock — to move gently

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