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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. foot — a measure
  5. kid — child
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. lean — to bend
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. kid — to tease
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. net — after costs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cell — a phone
  18. lean — thin
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. cell — in biology

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