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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pitch — completely
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chip — to eat
  19. track — a path
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. track — a song

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