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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. net — for catching
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. net — in sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. spring — a coil
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. net — after costs
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. track — a song
  18. can — a tin
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — the season
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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