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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ground — a position
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rest — a break
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. foot — a measure
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ground — crushed
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rest — what's left
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. squash — to crush
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rest — what's left

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