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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. file — a tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. last — finally
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. file — a line of people
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cap — a lid
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — to eat
  16. file — a document
  17. last — to go on
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. last — final
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. arm — a part of something

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