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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. present — the time now
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. game — a match
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. date — the fruit
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. roll — a list
  22. snap — to click
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. game — a kind of play

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