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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. squash — the sport
  3. file — a document
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rock — a stone
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. file — a tool
  10. rock — music
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. file — a line of people
  16. roll — a list
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. squash — to crush
  24. patient — a sick person

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