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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mine — for digging
  10. ball — a great time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. wax — to grow
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bound — certain
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bound — obliged

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