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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chip — to eat
  5. tear — to rip
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. tear — from crying
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mug — a face
  14. last — to go on
  15. mug — a cup
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mug — to rob
  21. last — final
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. last — finally

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