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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rest — what's left
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — a break
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rest — what's left
  8. race — humankind
  9. chip — for betting
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chip — to eat
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — a contest
  24. bear — to put up with

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