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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ground — crushed
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ground — a position
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ground — the earth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. nail — for a hammer

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