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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pop — to visit
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. branch — a division
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pop — soda
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. lean — thin
  21. pop — music
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fork — in a road
  24. chair — a leader

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