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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pop — to visit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. capital — money
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. capital — a city
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rock — a stone
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. rock — music
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rock — to move gently

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