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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. toast — bread
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pass — a permit

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