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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rest — what's left
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mug — a cup
  8. current — of water
  9. chest — of your body
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. chest — a box
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mine — for digging
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. mug — a face
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. current — happening now
  22. rest — a break
  23. current — electric
  24. mug — to rob

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