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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bound — tied together
  4. drill — army training
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. kick — in football
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. drill — a practice
  16. race — the arms race
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. drill — the tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. current — electric
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. current — happening now
  24. arm — part of the body

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