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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ground — crushed
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. drill — a practice
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. bank — for money
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. ground — a position
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bank — of a river
  21. drill — army training
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bank — for money
  24. wave — with your hand

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