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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. track — a song
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. track — to keep track
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. fine — high quality
  23. spring — the season
  24. track — a path

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