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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. toast — bread
  4. swing — music
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wound — an injury
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. swing — to play on
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. swing — in golf
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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