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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. track — a song
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. content — the amount
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. content — happy
  13. suit — in cards
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. board — to get on
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pound — a weight
  22. board — a committee
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pound — to hit hard

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