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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — a tool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. foot — a measure
  10. fall — to drop
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fall — to drop
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. saw — the tool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. fall — the season

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