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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kid — to tease
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. last — to go on
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. suit — to fit
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. suit — clothes
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. last — final
  19. suit — in cards
  20. kid — child
  21. last — finally
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bear — to put up with

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