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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. game — a match
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spring — of water
  7. rest — what's left
  8. suit — in cards
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rest — a break
  16. lean — thin
  17. game — wild animals
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rest — what's left
  24. game — a kind of play

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