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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mark — a grade
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. capital — a city
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. mark — a trace
  20. capital — money
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. wave — with your hand

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